Rules of Gin Rummy. A complet set of rules for the most popular rummy game in the USA. Play the classic card game Gin Rummy online for free, against the computer or your friends! No download required. This makes for a higher deadwood point count — and significant incentive to hold out and try to Gin. Players agree beforehand on a winning amount of points, typically 100. Come up with family rules of your own. In one version of Gin Rummy, the card flipped face-up to start the round sets the deadhead point-limit for knocking.
Rummy is a card game that is played with two decks of cards with total of two Jokers. To win the rummy game a player must make a valid declaration by picking and discarding cards from the two piles given. One pile is a closed deck, where a player is unable to see the card that he is picking, while the other is an open deck that is formed by the cards discarded by the players. To win at rummy card game, the players have to group cards in valid sequences and sets.
In rummy, the cards in each suit rank low to high starting with Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen and King. Ace, Jack, Queen and King each has 10 points. The remaining cards have value equal to their face value. For example, 5 cards will have 5 points and so on.
The Objective Of Rummy
The objective of rummy card game is to arrange the 13 cards in valid sets and sequences. To win the game you need to make minimum 2 sequences, out of which one needs to be pure sequence and rest can be any valid sequence or sets. Without a pure sequence you cannot make a valid rummy declaration. This is one of the most important rummy rules.
How to Form Sequences?
In rummy, a sequence is a group of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit. There are two types of sequences that are formed; a pure sequence and an impure sequence. To win the game of rummy you need at least one pure sequence in your rummy hand.
Pure Sequence
A pure sequence is a group of three or more cards of the same suit, placed in consecutive order. To form a pure sequence in rummy card game, a player cannot use any Joker or wild card./158548890-58a6f3c33df78c345b631e00.jpg "Easy Gin Rummy Rules")
Here are a few examples of pure sequence.
- 5♥ 6♥ 7♥ (Pure sequence with three cards and there is no Joker or wild card used)
- 3♠ 4♠ 5♠ 6♠ (Pure sequence with four cards. There is no use of Joker or wild cards here.)
Impure Sequence
An impure sequence is a group of three or more cards of the same suit with one or more Joker card used.Here are some examples to show how an impure sequence is formed.
- 6♦ 7♦ Q♠ 9♦ (Here Q♠ has been used as a wild Joker replacing 8♦ to form an impure sequence.)
- 5♠ Q♥ 7♠ 8♠ PJ (Impure sequence with Q♥ as wild joker that is replacing 6♠ and the Printed Joker is replacing 9♠.)
How to Form Sets?
A set is a group of three or more cards of the same value but of different suits. When you are forming sets, you can use wild card and Jokers.
Examples of sets
- A♥ A♣ A♦ (In this set, all the Ace are of different suits, make a valid set.)
- 8♦ 8♣ 8♠ 8♥ (Rummy set is formed with four 8 cards of different suits.)
- 9♦ Q♠ 9♠ 9♥ (Here Q♠ has been used as wild joker replacing 9♣ to make set.)
- 5♦ 5♣ 5♠ PJ (Printed joker replacing 5♥ to make set.)
- 5♦ 5♣ Q♠ PJ (Here Q♠ has been used as wild joker replacing 5♠ & Printed joker replacing 5♥ to make set.)
- 5♦ 5♣ PJ Q♥ Q♠ (This is a set of 5 cards with Printed joker & Q♥ as wild joker replacing 5♠ 5♥ and one more wild joker Q♠ to complete 13 cards grouping.)
Typical Example: 2♥ 3♥ 4♥ 5♥ 5♣ 6♣ 7♣ 8♣ 5♦ 5♣ PJ Q♥ Q♠ (Set of 5 cards is made to complete the grouping of 13 cards and make a valid declaration)
Note: The set is formed with same card of different suits. However, you can’t use two or more cards of the same suit. This is taken as an invalid declaration. Also, note that a set can have more than four cards. So, if you have a set of four cards and you are using an additional Joker, then in total it becomes a 5 cards group and still be a valid set. At no given time, the hand can have more than 13 cards.
Examples of invalid set
- Q♥ Q♥ Q♦ (There are two Qs of the same suit ♥ making it an invalid set.)
- 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ 7♠ Q♥ (It has two 7 spades of the same suit. The wild card Q♥ as the fifth card is valid but having two 7♠ is making it invalid.)
How To Play Rummy Card Game?
Follow this simple rummy rules and instructions to know how to play the game from start to end:
- Rummy card game is played between 2 to 6 players with 2 decks of cards. Each player is dealt with 13 cards and a random card is selected as wild joker or joker card of the game.
- The player has to draw and discard cards to form valid sets and sequences of the 13 cards in hand where player can also use wild joker or printed joker of the deck to make impure sequence and sets.
- As per indian rummy rules, once a player arranged 13 cards in valid 2 sequences including 1 pure sequence and more groups (sequences or sets), one can make a declaration and win the game.
Quick Tips To Win The Rummy Card Game
Just as it’s important to know the rummy rules, it is also necessary to play carefully and with focus. Here are quick tips to win the rummy game and stay a step ahead of your competitors.
- Form the pure sequence at the very beginning of the game. Without a pure sequence, a player cannot make a declaration.
- Discard cards with high points like Ace, Jack, Queen and King. Replace these cards with Joker or Wild Cards. It reduces the point load, in case you lose the game.
- As much as possible, avoid picking from the discard pile. It gives away what hand you are trying to form.
- Look out for smart cards. For example, a 7 of any suit can work with 5 and 6 of the same suit and also 8 and 9 of the same suit.
- Jokers play an important role in rummy. Try using them to replace high value cards. Remember, Joker and wild cards cannot be used to form pure sequence.
- When you are ready to make a declaration, check and recheck your cards and then press the button. An invalid declaration can turn even a winning game into a complete loss.
Common Terms Used In Rummy Rules
Here are some common terms of Indian Rummy that every player needs to know before he starts playing.
What is a Rummy Table?
It is the table where the game of rummy is played. Every rummy table can sit two to six players for each game.
What is Joker and Wild Cards?
In each rummy deck there is a Printed Joker and there is a Wild Card that is selected at random at the beginning of the game. The role of both these types of card is the same. Jokers are used to form sets and impure sequences. A Joker card can replace the desired number when forming the groups. This is a valid formation in a rummy game.
What is Draw and Discard?
In all Rummy games, each player is dealt 13 cards. Additionally, there are 2 stacks from which each player can select cards, thereby drawing a card. Once a player draws a card, he has to get rid of one card - this is called discarding.
What is Sorting of Cards?
Sorting of cards are done at the beginning of the game. This is done to arrange your cards to help you form your sets and sequences reducing the probability of mixing the cards. Once, the cards are displayed, you can hit the Sort button and start playing.
What is a Drop?
When a player decides to leave the game table at the start or middle of the rummy game, it is a drop. The act is withdrawing from the game as a personal decision. The first drop=20 points; middle drop= 40 points and last drop and maximum point loss is 80 points.
In case of Pool rummy, if a player drops in 101 pool, the score is 20. In case, it is 201 pool rummy, the drop score is 25. In a game, where it is best of 2 and best of 3 is played, then a drop is not allowed.
What are Cash Tournaments?
Cash tournaments are those that are played for Real Cash and have Real Cash Prizes (in INR). These tournaments run 24x7 and are conducted in a knock-out style. To play any of the cash games, the player has to add Cash to its RummyCircle account.
How do I Join a Tournament?
Go to 'Tournaments' in the top navigation panel. Now, select the type of Tournament you wish to play. In the corresponding Tournament List, click on any of the Open tournaments that you wish to join. Finally, click on the blinking Join This Tournament button under Tournament Details.
What is an Invalid Declaration?
An invalid declaration happens in rummy card game when the player presses the Declaration button, but the cards are not in valid sequences and sets. Therefore, the player will lose the game and the competitor will automatically be declared as the winner.
Here are few examples of common invalid declarations players make while playing rummy:
Wrong Declaration with Invalid Sets
Example 1: 10♠ 10♠ 10♦ 10♣ Q♥
A set can have 3 cards or more, however a set needs to be formed with cards of the same value and different suits. In this situation, the Wild Joker (Queen of Hearts) card was added and that became the fifth card, which is valid as per rules, however the group consist of 2 cards of the same suit making it a wrong declaration.
Example 2: K♥ K♥ K♦
In this set, there are 3 cards which is well within the minimum limit. Also, a set consists of cards of the same face value but has to be of different suits. The set cannot have more than one card of the same suit. In this example, the set consists of two cards of the same suit and that makes it a wrong declaration.
Wrong Declaration with Invalid Sequences
Example 1: 10♠ 10♥ 10♦ 10♣ 5♠ 5♥ 5♦ 6♠ 6♥ 6♣ 9♥ 9♦ Joker
A valid declaration requires 2 sequences, out of which one needs to be pure sequence i.e. sequence without joker and the other can be pure or impure sequence i.e. sequence with or without joker. However, in the given example there is neither sequence made making it an invalid declaration.
Example 2: K♥ K♠ K♦ 6♥ 7♥ Joker 9♠ 10♠ J♠ Joker 5♠ 5♥ 5♦
A valid declaration must have 2 sequences, out of which one needs to be pure sequence i.e. sequence without joker and the other can be pure or impure sequence i.e. sequence with or without joker. This example shows that there are 2 sequences, but both are impure sequence i.e. sequence with joker and the pure sequence is not there. It is compulsory to have a pure sequence before you make a declaration.
Example 3: Q♥ Q♠ Q♦ 6♥ 7♥ 8♥ 9♥ 5♠ 5♥ 5♦ 10♠ 10♥ 10♦
Sequences are very important for a rummy card game and you need minimum 2 sequences, out of which one needs to be pure sequence and the other can be pure or impure sequence to win the game. In this example, there is a pure sequence, however the 2nd sequence is missing and hence it is an invalid declaration.
Useful Chart - How To Play & Rummy Guidelines For Valid Rummy Declaration:
Handy Directions to Follow While Declaring With 13 Cards:
PURE SEQUENCE | IMPURE SEQUENCE | SET 1 & SET 2 |
|---|---|---|
| COMPULSORY to make | NOT COMPULSORY (Can make to fulfill minimum 2 sequence requirement) | NOT COMPULSORY (Can make to complete 13 Cards valid grouping) |
| Made with 3 or More Cards | Made with 3 or More Cards | Made with 3 or 4 Cards without Joker. OR Made with 3, 4 or More Cards with Joker. |
| Cards of SAME SUIT in SEQUENTIAL ORDER | Cards of SAME SUIT in SEQUENTIAL ORDER with Wild Card Joker or Printed Joker | Cards of SAME VALUE & DIFFERENT SUIT (2 Cards of same color but different suit can be used Ex - 5♠ 5♥ 5♦). |
| CANNOT USE JOKER or WILD CARD | CAN USE JOKER or WILD CARD | CAN USE JOKER or WILD CARD |
Combination Possible as per the Above Rules to Declare 13 Cards in Rummy:
- There is one Pure Sequence of 4 cards
- There is Impure Sequence of 3 cards where 8♣ is a wild joker
- There is a “Set 1” of 3 cards
- There is a “Set 2” of 3 cards having a “Printed Joker”
Download this handy PDF for 13 Card Game Rules: “Download PDF Now”
How The Points Are Calculated As Per Indian Rummy Rules?
Let us look how points calculation is done, when you are playing online rummy card game.
| CARDS | VALUE |
| High value cards Ace, King, Queen, Jack | All carry 10 points each |
| Joker and Wild Cards | Zero points |
| Other cards | Have point value same as their face value |
| Example: 8 ♥, 9 ♥ 10 ♥ | 8 points, 9 points, 10 points |
Losing Player Points
| If the player doesn’t have 2 sequences including a pure sequence | Value of all cards is added, capped at 80 points |
| If the player has formed 2 sequences including pure sequence | Value of cards that are not in sequence are calculated |
| Wrong Declaration | 80 points |
| First Drop | 20 points |
| Middle Drop | 40 points |
| 3 Consecutive Misses | Considered as middle drop with 40 points loss |
| Leave Table | If player leaves table after picking from closed deck, it is considered middle drop. If the player hasn’t picked any card, it is taken as first drop. |
Examples of Points Calculation With Winning Amount
Example: Table of 6 Players (Wild Joker Q♦)
| Player | Hand Formed | Points Calculated |
| Player 1 | 2♥ 3♥ 4♥ 5♣ 6♣ Q♦ 8♦ 8♠ 5♣ 2♦ 2♣ K♠ Q♠ | The player has 2 sequences 1 pure and 1 impure. So, only the points of unmatched cards will be counted = 45 |
| Player 2 | 4♠ 4♥ 4♣ 4♦ 5♦ Q♦ 3♠ 7♠ 8♠ Q♦ K♦ 10♣ 9♣ | The player has not formed 2 sequences, including the pure sequence. Hence, points of all cards will be calculated =68 |
| Player 3 | 3♥ 4♥ 5♥ 5♣ 6♣ 7♣ Q♦ 8♦ 5♣ 2♦ 2♣ 2♥ K♠ | The player has 2 sequences, 1 pure and 1 impure. It also has 1 set formed. The points will be calculated only for the ungrouped cards = 23 |
| Player 4 | A♥ 4♥ 5♥ 5♣ 6♣ 10♣ J♦ 8♦ 5♣ 2♦ 2♣ Q♥ K♠ | First Drop with a loss of 20 points |
| Player 5 | 4♠ 4♥ 4♣ 4♦ 5♦ Q♦ A♠ 7♠ 8♠ Q♦ K♦ J♣ 9♣ | 3 consecutive misses= 40 points |
| Player 6 | 2♥ 3♥ 4♥ 5♣ 6♣ 7♣ Q♦ 5♦ 5♣ 5♥ 2♦ 2♣ 2♥ | WINNER |
How Are Your Winnings Calculated In Rummy Cash Games?
At the end of the day it is all about seeing that winning cash amount in your account. You also need to be very clear how you are getting the sum that is reflecting in your Dashboard. Let’s help you understand how these calculations are done to play rummy online for real money.
Winning Calculation in Points Rummy?
When you are playing points rummy cash games, it is based on a pre-decided rupee value. The winner of the game wins the entire cash amount lost by the other players at the end of the game. Here is how the calculation is done.
Winning Cash = (Sum of all points of opponents) X (Rupee value of the point) - RummyCircle Fee
Here is an example that will help us understand this better:
Example:
Total of 6 players playing points rummy for cash on Rs. 860 table. Each point has a pre-decided value of Rs. 4. There will be 1 player who will be the winner and remaining 5 will lose the game. The losing points of the remaining 5 players would be 45, 78, 23, 20, 40 respectively. The winnings will be calculated as:
4x (45+78+23+20+40) = Rs. 824
This amount, after the deduction of RummyCircle fee will reflect in the player’s account.
Winnings Calculation in Pool Rummy?
The winning for pools rummy is calculated as per the given calculation:
Winnings = (Entry Fee) X (Number of Players) - RummyCircle feesExample:
Players pay the fixed entry fee for the tournament, which is used to form the prize pool. If 5 players join a pool rummy with Rs. 50 as entry fee. The prize pool of the game will be Rs. 250.
The winner will win Rs. 50 x 5 = Rs. 250
This amount will be credited to the winner’s account after the deduction of the RummyCircle fees.
Winnings Calculation in Deals Rummy?
In deals rummy, the winner wins all the chips at the end of each deal. Here is how the winnings are calculated:
Winnings =Sum of points of all opponents assuming each chip is equal to one point.
Example:
Let’s assume that there are 6 players on the table and the player 5 declares his hand. The other four players will lose with 10, 20, 30, 35 and 40 points respectively. The winner’s chips will be calculated as 10 + 20 + 30 + 35 + 40 =135 chips.
With all the above guide, get started to play rummy with right directions and win cash. RummyCircle gives you an option to make a rummy game download for hassle free, non-intrusive experience of online rummy. This app is available for both android users and IOS users. Also, you can enjoy the fun and entertainment packed game on mobile website.
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Gin Rummy is a card game of skill that allows from 2 to 4 players to play. The game uses one standard deck of 52 cards for each hand dealt.
The aim of Gin Rummy is to be the first player to get rid of all your dealt cards by making them into sets and laying them down on the table. The making of sets is often called “melding,” a term commonly heard when playing Mahjong.
A 'set'contains 3 or 4 cards the same numerical value. A “run” has 3 or more cards, of the same suit, which are consecutive numerically. When cards are grouped together in Gin Rummy, they are said to be 'melded.'
To start a 2 player game, each player is dealt 10 cards, if there is 3 or 4 players then each player is dealt 7 cards.
When playing Gin Rummy rules, an Ace card counts as 1 point and face cards, Jack, King, Queen, count as 10.
When it is a players turn to act, they must start off by either drawing a card from either the stick pile or discard pile. This card is added to their hand. Upon completion of the players turn, they must place one card, from any held in their hand into the discard pile.
Gin Rummy rules give players three different ways to win a round. They are termed Gin, Knock and Undercut.
Easy Gin Rummy Rules Rummy
Gin – Gin is made when a player melds all of the cards held in their hand and lay them all down on the table at once. The last card is placed in the discard pile. This leaves the player with no un-matching cards.
Knock – A Knock is where players meld all the cards held and the remaining total points left is 10 or lower in value. Surplus cards that can’t be used to make any melds or sets are termed, deadwood.
Undercut – An Undercut is where a players remaining points, or deadwood, is equal or lower to the Knocker’s.
After a players Gin, all other players may take their melds, or sets, and lay them onto the table. This lowers their deadwood count and hence the amount of penalty points accumulated. After players Knock, again, the other players lay any melds onto the table and add then add their matching cards onto the Knocker's original melds. This way, the Knock move provides the other players, who have lost the hand an opportunity to reduce their amount of penalty points gained. Much higher than is a player plays a Gin hand.
In Gin Rummy multi-round games the winner is the player that has accumulated the highest amount of points. Playing a Gin hand gains the most points reward and the player scores 25. The other, defeated players, receive their deadwood count doubled, but as penalty points.
Easy Gin Rummy Rules How To Play
An Undercut hand gains the player 20 points and their defeated opponents receive the difference in the count of the round winners deadwood and their own, again as penalty points.
How To Play Gin And Rummy
The final winning move, the Knock scores 10 points. Again defeated opponents are landed with penalty points to the sum of their deadwood count minus the Knocker's deadwood count.
Easy Gin Rummy Rules Against
Reading the Gin Rummy rules above may not make instant sense to a complete beginner but these are the basics of an easy game to play. The real learning, as with any game, comes when you start to play. Download and play Gin Rummy to further your understanding and fully learn the rules of the game.
Easy Gin Rummy Rules Free
Have you tried our interactive How to Play Gin Rummy tutorial?